oldisnewagain1

If a district was to start a new policy of picking a Troop's name out of a hat to hold the next camproee (no matter if that troop wanted to host or not) would your Troop participate?

Before you answer, the hosting troop can not pick the theme or events, as the district will provide these to the troop, and  if the Troop decides not to host, they are not allowed to attend that camproee.

Where they asked to run an event or told they were going to run an event? Maybe it was assumed they were going and that they were going to run an event?

 However one post on FB stated they believed there was too much politics on the district level, and they cannot get minimum number of Scouts for a patrol to go to council camporee.

IMHO the "politics" excuse is BS as the district has bent over backwards trying to get them involved.

Once again, wouldn't a face to face with the troop leaders clear up some of these issues? Too often I've heard about a District/Council "bending over backward" to get involvement from troops but the efforts are only alienating the Troops further inward.

As for council camporee, not having a minimum of 4 Scouts to compete may be a legitimate reason. But I'm willing to bet that if the Scouts knew about council camporee well enough in advance and actually made a calendar instead of the SM doing it, they may just want to go or the PLC decides to go but the Scouts are not intrested 

 

Lets assume for a moment that the PLC is fully aware of the camporee but decides not to go or the PLC decides to go but very few (if any) Scouts sign up for the camproee. Why didn't they want to come to the camproee? Has anyone asked?

One last question for the group, if a Troop does not participate in district/council activites but camps every month, does a series of service projects, has Scouts advancing, and continues ever year to grow the Troop membership, is this troop successfully promoting Scouting? 

I wonder if districts with poor attendance at camproees ever reach out to the non-participating troops and ask why they don’t attend?

Now I don’t mean what the district “has heard†but really reached out to Scoutmasters and PLCs to get their take. There may be information maybe hard to hear for those who have but their heart and sole into events but there is also a chance to improve.

It might also be a way for a district to band together.

We should remember that district activities should be supplemental to unit programs. If a unit has a robust outdoor program and chooses to pass on district camporees' date=' so be it. Their Scouts are getting their nights camping in, it shouldn't be an issue. It's not the responsibility of the unit to support the district, but the job of the district to support the units.[/quote']

 

Outstanding!

 

FYI, I think the server's time is off...posting this at 2:33 PM on 2/10/15

One simple question, "Are you (or your son) having fun?"

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One the boy scout side of things, my district does very well getting the info out to the troops. That info is given out at RTs that they don't attend. We even post info on a district Facebook page. But they complain about not getting information.

Some questions here, If I understand you correctly, information is given out at Round Tables and on Facebook. So if a unit doesn't attend RT and, like many, doesn't use Facebook anymore, then the information isn't available anywhere else (email, website, snail mail or hard copy at office)?

Has anyone given thought as to why units don't want to attend Round Tables?

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He said that a leaders shouldn't have to leave the district to get the training when they want it. And if there isn't enough staff to provide training when leaders want it, we should hire trainers to come in and do it for the district.

What if you brought the training to them, for example at a troop meeting or a camporee?

The leader wanted to have trainer hired to come in and train? Could it be possible there is an underlying issue with the council training staff and these leaders?

I had an old professor tell me something that has always stuck with me. "When a problem seems unresolvable, we may not be asking the right questions to gather the data we need. Find the root cause and you will be on your way to a solution."

Expect nothing...have no preconceived notions or biases going in

Work your ticket

Above all have fun

Well since you asked...

How aware do you think most units are of district and council issues and programs?

Our PLC is very aware of district and council programs and well as programs in surrounding districts and councils. Non-participation in our district and council programs as more to do with several factors.

Location: Most council events are based on the opposite side of the council. Some events involve local sports teams or places of interest with no ties with our area. (Most of the Scouts, for example know more about the local sports in another council than ours.)

Interest: Too often Scouting events in our district are run with the same old events over and over again. Sure it's exciting when your 11 but by the time you are 13, it's getting old. The other side of the coin are events that "will be good for the Scout" run like a Cub Scout program. Every minute of each day planned out on nauseum. Did anyone think of asking the Scouts if they want to tour the museum and see the painting of a artist? What if you council held a council camping event with no camping? I know the question I'll be asked at PLC. Couldn't we go on a backpacking trip instead?

Price: Now I been involved in planning a district event and I know what our expenses where and how much we should have been to each participant. Yet when the "official" guide comes out the price has doubled or tripled. It would seem to me we are nickleing and dimeing troops to death (or into non-participation). Given options, our troop, may go to an event were we get a better "bang for our buck".

Other options: In some cases, there are other options outside of Scouting who might be of greater interest to the Scout. In other cases, the Scouts are just plain over booked and have to choose one over the other. A third option is a troop is simply not going to the Council or District event because they are going to better event.

Brotherhood of Scouting: Ever go to an event and feel like the troop was the outsider? What if this was on your own council's event? What if another council made the troop feel like it was one of their own? Which event would your PLC choose?

What kinds of participation in district and council decision making do unit leaders have in your area?

Unit leaders have a voice but too often is ignored. The better question to ask, what kind of participation do Scouts have in district and council in event decision making. (Remember the concept of Boy Lead?)

Are improvements in unit participation important?

It would seem so because I hear complaints about it often but only complaints and no attempts to get to the root of the problem.

If so, what means might help improve the situation?

Listen to the Scouts.

My biggest fear is the immunization I had many years ago is now ineffective. For example, I had the vaccination for whooping cough as a child yet contracted it as an adult. (No fun and at times very scary.)

Sometimes the Scouts have the best ideas. A venture crew in our area use to run the district events and the were the best ones I'd seen in years.

Sometimes the Scouts have the best ideas. A venture crew in our area use to run the district events and the were the best ones I'd seen in years.

Glad to see it was turned down. Sure the merged council may have saved money but would have less units, less FOS and more folks wishing they had never voted for the merge. If I was a betting man, merge talks aren't over yet and when the merge goes through there will be an SE, from one of the two, promoted to a larger council somewhere else

Get him a copy of "A Scout Leader's Guide to Youth Leadership Training: Working the Patrol Method", an application to transfer to the Troop, and that handshake. [h=1][/h]

Hmmm...one character?

Scooby Doo

Ah come on guys it not all that bad...

Just because,

The district events charge adults (and volunteers at the events) the same rate as the Scouts

Event details come out a couple of weeks before the event (If at all).

Same old events time and time again

Summer camp cost more than out of council camps (and have less to offer)

NYLT cost the same as summer camp

DE's visit the unit at least once before they quit (maybe)

Council want you to hold multiple FOS meetings because your unit isn't meeting quota (Oh, and sell popcorn, camp cards too at the same time)

and when you raise a new idea get told "that's not the way we do it in this council"

that's no reason not to join in lock step with the rest ("One of us, one of us...)

Yeah, we have a special name for this - Tuesday

Sounds about right...

fixed King Ding Dong's post

Ahhh....that's the fun of it isn't it.

UP: The mentor pin is for non uniform wear only.

Me: This isn't an official uniform

A rock concert at a Camporee? I can just hear my troop’s PLC meeting now…

Scoutmaster: OK guys there’s a big council wide camporee coming up and they are even going to have a rock concert as one of the "Big Events".

(Confused looks around the room)

SPL: All those who want to go backpacking on the AT instead raise your hand

(a unanimous vote to go backpacking)

So the uniform police have been on the prowl in our council again quoting chapter and verse from the Guide to Awards and Insignia as to unofficial patrol patches, correct Square Knot placement, and the ever dreaded wearing of an Eagle Mentor pin.

It occurred to me, if my shirt was an unofficial tan shirt, say Cabela's Short-Sleeve Safari® Shirt for example, and I sewed my patches onto this shirt, I could wear a mentor pin without breaking “the ruleâ€Â.

...Godwin's law

Absolutely!

It reinforced a lot of what I already knew but the real reason I would take it again has to do with the Staff, Troop and Patrol.

Some of the greatest folks I have ever met!

Bears

NE-II-192

There was a jamboree? (With tongue in cheek)

We had one boy go to the last Jamboree but this year wanted to go to Philmont instead

We have so many adults involved who were not scouts.....I believe if the BSA truly wants Boy Led Patrol method troops it warrants a course dedicated to such.......

 

How many posts are folks asking how to do it???????

 

 

 

http://www.scoutleadership.com/